Travel to Hong Kong

Flying to Hong Kong

The major international airline is Cathay Pacific (CX) (www.cathaypacific.com), but Hong Kong is a major regional hub so there are plenty of choices for flights. There is no particular time for cheap flights to Hong Kong as the region is popular throughout the year, but the highest prices tend to be around major holiday periods, particularly Chinese New Year.

Flight times:

From London to Hong Kong is 11 hours 30 minutes (or 13 hours 30 minutes with one stop); from New York is 16 hours (or 17 hours 45 minutes with one stop).

Departure tax:

Included in the ticket price.

Airport guides

Airport Code: HKG. Location: Hong Kong International Airport is located 34km (21 miles) northwest of Hong Kong Island. Money: There is a bank in Terminal 2 and several bureaux de change counters and ATMs throughout both...
Read more

Travel by rail

Trains from mainland China to Hong Kong are operated by the Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTR) (tel: 2947 7888; www.it3.mtr.com.hk). Among its services is a route from Guangzhou (2 hours away) several times a day, stopping at Dongguan (Changping) on the way to Kowloon in Hong Kong. There is also a daily service from Foshan and Zhaoqing to Hong Kong. In Kowloon, the trains terminate at Hung Hom Station in Tsim Sha Tsui East.

Services between Shanghai and Kowloon (journey time – 18 hours 30 minutes) and Beijing and Kowloon (journey time – 24 hours) both run on alternate days. Note that mainland Chinese know Kowloon as Jiulong, and this will be on destination boards.

Local East Rail Line trains run regularly to Kowloon from Lo Wu, the last stop before the Chinese border. Just across the border is Shenzhen, a special economic zone in China. To go as far as Lo Wu from Kowloon, travellers must hold a visa for China, otherwise it is only possible to get to Sheung Shui.

Rail passes:

None for intercity travel.

Getting to Hong Kong by boat

Hong Kong has one of the world’s busiest container ports (www.pdc.gov.hk). The region is also visited by a large number of cruise ships.

Ferry operators:

A handful of ferry services run from towns and cities in Guangzhou province's Pearl River Delta, but it’s much faster and more convenient to travel by bus or train from mainland China.

TurboJET (tel: 2859 3333; www.turbojet.com.hk) operates frequent daily services from both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon to Macau. It also has a service from Macau to Hong Kong International Airport and several places on the mainland: Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, Shekou and Guangzhou. Alternative high-speed catamaran ferries to and from Macau are operated by New World First Ferry Services (tel: 2131 8181; www.nwff.com.hk). The company also runs ferries to several of Hong Kong’s outlying islands, including Cheung Chau, Lantau (stopping at Mui Wo and Chi Ma Wan) and Peng Chau.